I first became really interested in biology at age ten, when friends of
the family (both academics in the biological sciences) gave me a copy of
Life: Cells, Organisms, Populations (E.O. Wilson et al., Sinauer
Associates 1977) for Christmas. That book was a major influence on me:
not only did it leave me with a life-long fascination with biology,
but I acquired my basic sex education from it.

I have no formal training in biology, however. In fact, as a result
of my skipping year 9 at school, I don't think I have ever done a
single biology course!